Pulling vs walking

i agree, im talkin about how you will be viewed by people who dont understand. i have to many apbts, i cant afford to have people wondering if i am in control of my dogs or to have my dogs look to aggressive with the pulling. i understand the benefits of letting them pull buts it a decision i made in order to protect myself and my dogs. i dont see anything wrong with letting them pull as long as you are in control. i just dont to add anymore drama that what already comes along with have apbts. people know my dogs are well trained and under control. i like it that way, im sure everyone can see where im coming from

 

very good post! another thing is that i dont live in a country area. when i walk lot of people are around. people who assume the worst of this breed which is why i made the choice that i did. if u can get away with it im jealous.
I dont think pulling has to much to do with dominance, they have four legs! they walk faster than we do and they are excited about their walk!!!

 

You have to have had the pleasure of living amongst the "tight a**", out of control yuppy ankle biter, community to be able to appreciate how dangerous it is to have what appears to be an "out of control" Pit Bull to the untrained (or simply dumb) eye.

For the first year I lived in my community every time I walked one of mydawgs the neighbors would call the police...and the squad car would drive by me slowly and ask if the dog was a Pit Bull.....my anwer -- "yes, and he is on a leash and safely under control, are there any problems with this officer?"

My neighbors still don't care for mydawgs, but it is not mine that are straining at the leash squeeling it's little shaggy, dust mop, head off when they cross paths.....it is theirs, and I simply look at them and feel sorry....

The best was when one of these "guys" walking their, IDK looked like a mop on the end of a leash, about 10 lbs, came hauling ass accross the park yappin it's little head off at my Buddy (APBT), on a walk Buddy don't see anything...he is doin his thang, he is also a very confident dog and is not aggressive, anyway this lil mop comes runnin at him snarling and yappin (no leash), so just be be absolutely safe I pull Buddy up by the head and lift his paws off the ground....this man comes running after poopsie and looks at me and says..."oh don't worry, poopsie is not DA".

Makes you wonder what he sees when he looks at his dog, and even better what he saw when he saw Buddy...still scratchin my head on this one

 

I "walk" the dogs. My husband does the pulling work. He has a 20 ft rope and lets the dog get out in front and work. The long leash doesnt beat him to death either. The dog loves it.
The dog gets ALOT more excited to see that long rope coming than when I am "just" coming with a regular leash. :dogtongue::vovvetliten:

 

exactly. your story could almost be mine word for word. which is why i always have my dogs at my side at all times when on our regular walk. i've had soo many unleashed dogs in our neighborhood come running up nashing their teeth at my dogs. one day, one of them little sh*t-eaters will get eaten....

 

if its that bad then walk when the streets are quiet. Early mornings around 5 or 6 are some of the best times.

 

Hell, that's when I walk. Either early, or late enough that the mop dogs are afraid to walk outside.

 

I walk at times when there is less traffic, but it is always busy, soooooooooooo when mydawgs walk they are the picture of a well behaved dog and that is just the way it is.......

 

i can't do it early in the mornings. i have a job. and i dont like walkin at night cuz i can't see situations up ahead for me to avoid. and i sure as hell don't wanna have to be breaking up a dog fight in the dark by myself. and just because the people are inside at night don't mean their dogs are. most of the time, there's more loose dogs out after dark than during the day. people think it's ok if nobody sees them let fido out the front door for his nightly pissing contest around the neighborhood. so afternoons are the best times for me. and i like having my dogs at my side. people are already afraid of them enough as it is, sure don't want anyone giving me trouble cuz i got two vicious-looking dogs (one being 115 pounds) pullin me down the street. so my dogs know not to pull me on walks.

but i figure i can get Disco a harness and take him out in the field every now and then for him to pull around for a while to get him a bit of a work-out in. we'll see how that works...

 

yeah now is a good time to have him trained under your preference he's still a young pup. Do you use a harness or a collar? yeah just ignore the stares they will always be around this breed as long as you have everything under your control then you should feel comfortable it's what ever works best for you there is no right or wrong for this subject technically but to me just because you don't want to have a die hard puller does not mean you are taking away the working heart of a bulldog there are more then enough exercises to gain what you need then just by pulling you on walks.

 

I guess I'm lucky compared to most. Around where I live( not the best part of the world but certaintly not the worst) I get so many compliments. I can't walk my dog without people or children wanting to pet and just ask about pitbulls. People here love pitbulls and a lot own them. I have yet to come across an idiot. Maybe tomorrow when I take Kayne to the vet I'll get some stupid stares and remarks. I don't want to start something but I feel like the only people that make negative comments are that of older rich folks who own their fluffy little toy dogs or shitzuhs. I live in a mostly Hispanic and black area and I get a lot of compliments from people.

 

Right now I have a collar (just ordered a new one from Stillwater). And honestly, he's never been a huge puller and I have always had him under control. He's not like some of those dogs you would see on those dog training tv shows, where they pull their owner down the street. He just pulls a little. I was always under the impression that if the dog walks ahead then he is in control. I swear you hear so many conflicting opinions about that ya know. But after I read the replies here I came to the conclusion that as long as I always have control and he is able to heel on command then its ok. I can't wait till it gets warmer so I can walk later at night.

 

Nothing better than a late night summer walk. Just you, your dog, and in my case iPod.

 

Just because i let them pull on leash doesn't mean i'm not in control.I'm plenty man enough,that if i happen to come across another walking a dog,my dog isn't gonna be able to drag me across the street to them lol.I don't have to depend on the all mighty "HEAL" command to control my dog,let alone a choke collar.Maybe we walk our dogs for different reasons.I walk my dog for HIS maximum benefit, and HIS maximum benefit only.If i can get a little more outta him by letting him pull on the lead,That might be all the little more he needed.I could give a rats nasty A** about what Jon Q Public thinks about my handling of my hounds.After all,jon's not gonna be around when it really matters,now is he???

 

Josey walks in front on a "fun walk" but no pulling. On the 1st private session we had with a trainer for pulling - Josey was transformed. He just walked out with her pulling and then did a leash correction. He then asked us if she looked at him. We weren't sure. He did it again with what he called a level 2 leash correction and asked us again. That time we said no she didn't look at him although she stopped. He did it again at what he called a level three and she stopped turned around and looked at him. From that point on if he stopped she would stop - turn around and look. The rationale is that the problem should be corrected once at the right level and then won't happen again. Josey walks in front, but no pulling. We can slow down and stop and she will turn around and look to see what we want. Our walks are made up of 50% in heel and 50% fun walk where she can be in front and sniff and go from one side to another. Walks are very pleasant now. Sometimes I think others may look at us and think she isn't a well behaved dog, but I agree she should be able to be a dog when we want to let her. You don't want to be doing continual corrections, but teach the dog what you expect and solve the problem. Worked for us.

 

No JQP is not gonna be around when it really matters...nor does "he" need to be, he just has to rally enough support to get the PB breeds outlawed and we will all pay the price.

Conditioning your dog should be all about your dog, absolutely....but if you cannot see the value in putting "our" best foot forward for the public with our dogs then I am afraid you are feeding a frenzy that in the end will bite us all in the a**. How hard is it to show the world these dogs are as trainable as any other and we are responsible owners so there is no need to punish the breed.